UAH hosting NIST cybersecurity framework workshop on Dec. 11

Chan Auditorium in UAH's Business Administration Building will be the site of a Dec. 11 workshop on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity.

Michael Mercier | UAH

About 200 private and public sector cyber critical infrastructure practitioners will gather in Chan Auditorium at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) on Dec. 11 for a workshop on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity sponsored primarily by Cyber Huntsville.

"This workshop represents a very powerful opportunity for cyber critical infrastructure practitioners to have a rare and direct dialogue with the key NIST representatives who are developing the framework," said said Jamie Miller, the workshop organizer and member of the Cyber Huntsville Board of Directors. "It is also wonderful opportunity to showcase the talents of our region to NIST."

NIST is a non-regulatory federal agency under the Department of Commerce headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md. A NIST certification is important because it supports and develops measurement standards for a particular service or product.

"The workshop will feature NIST leadership and the authors of existing framework," said Miller. "The purpose of the workshop is to support the ongoing awareness, evolution and adoption of the NIST Framework, and to ensure that the critical infrastructure practitioners located in the Huntsville, Tennessee Valley and broader Southeastern region have the opportunity to open a direct dialogue with NIST representatives to share lessons learned and best practices related to framework implementation."

As a member of Cyber Huntsville, in addition to hosting the workshop UAH is also an event sponsor. NIST prefers to have its workshops hosted at academic institutions to promoted an open and intellectually founded dialogue.

"NIST is promulgating new standards in the area of critical infrastructure protection which is of research interest to UAH – so we are pleased to host this event on our campus," said Dr. Ray Vaughn, UAH Vice President for Research.

"UAH has a robust cybersecurity program and excellent faculty, staff and students with cybersecurity interests," Dr. Vaughn said. "This event is another example of the strong working relationship UAH has with the City of Huntsville, our industrial partners and the Cyber Huntsville organization."

NIST is seeking cybersecurity professionals to attend the workshop.

"We are looking for private and public sector cyber critical infrastructure practitioners who are either currently implementing the framework, plan to the implement the framework, or who have specific ideas about how to inform the evolution of the framework," Miller said. "Although we are initially targeting the defense industrial base, energy, financial services and healthcare cyber critical infrastructure sectors, we would like to have representatives from all sectors."